Prepping to get my first chameleon

RyanBRZ

RyanBRZ

Avid Member
I have been wanting a chameleon for years and decided to finally go for it. I have owned and bred leopard geckos in the past and also had an iguana as a kid. I've been lurking for a few days now as I have been trying to understand everything I'll need for a chameleon. I'm planning on going with a Panther male, 4 months old or so.

So far I have below on my list of things to buy before buying a chameleon. I plan to have the cage setup and running and then order the chameleon.
  • ZooMed ReptiBreeze cage - 24"x24"x48" - Wanted LLLReptile cage but they not longer sell them. Is DIYCages better?
  • MistKing 22251 Starter Misting System
  • MistKing Rain Nozzle
  • MistKing T fitting to allow 1 mister nozzle + rain nozzle
  • ZooMed digital temp + humidity gauge
  • ZooMed Dripper
  • Repashy Calcium Plus
  • ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 T5 bulb + bulb fixture
  • Ceramic heat bulb + bulb fixture
  • 2x Emours Small Animal Bend-A-Brand jungle vine (on amazon)
Things I am not sure about:
  • Setting up the cage. Should I buy bamboo sticks or something to give framework within the cage to attach vines too etc? Without doing this I don't understand how to attach vines and stuff to the cage. I prefer to not cut into the screen if I can avoid it.
  • Where do I get leaves that will suit a chameleon well for lurking in and drinking off of. Is Michaels craft store a good place to look?
  • Is the drip system needed if I will have the MistKing Rain nozzle set up?
  • Where do I buy a chameleon? Every where I go seems sold out of the nice looking males. Looking for an exotic colored one. I'm in NJ and would like to pick up locally if possible, but I know this may be a long shot.
  • How old of a cham should I get? I'd like to get one on the younger side but read putting a tiny cham in a huge cage can stress them out. I'd also like one that is a little older so I can see the coloration better.
 
Does the Repashy have D3?
Everything else in your hardware section looks good. May want to get some of these vines, much better suited for juvenile cam feet.
28DB1F63-B7AB-46C9-8D94-E4847C00E18B.png

You can use bamboo but you need to rough it up with some 50 grit sandpaper so your cham can grip it. Even if you don’t intend for them to climb on it they inevitably will.

Use live plants, helps with humidity.

I don’t run drippers when I have an auto-mister.

I reccomend a site sponsor for a breeder. @Matt Vanilla Gorilla is a good option too...

Try to get a Cham 3-6mo, it is very rewarding to raise them from young.
 
You need a basking bulb! Welcome to the forums! Yes, do the framework! You’ll need way more plants, branches, and vines than that! Dripper depends if chameleon is hydrated or not, get it just in case. I suggest getting an older one for first time owners so there’s less of a chance of messing them up for life due to improper husbandry.
 
If I were you, I'd probably start off with a juvenile. You don't want to go too young, especially if it's your first cham, because they are hardier as they age. Higher risk of something going wrong with young'ns. As for the cage size, don't worry about it at all. In the wild, baby chameleons are born into the literal whole wide world and do just fine. There will be nothing intimidating about a 24x24x48 portion of said world ;)
 
I think my list is complete! Took off the dripper since I will have the mist + eventually the rain nozzle. Total setup cost is $399+tax shipped. Estimating $300-$350 for a juvenile male panther.

UVB Bulb - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQU8GF0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2A02U6YIW6LGE&psc=1
Fixture - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AQU8F2O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2A02U6YIW6LGE&psc=1
Bamboo - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051GUQO8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
Branches - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0747BXK7M/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A3GYIS37IB3XTP&psc=1
Leaves - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009YEB70/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
Vitamin/calcium - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DLJRMV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A1UVN0LGSMO4HK&psc=1
Gut load - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RM796YA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1UVN0LGSMO4HK&psc=1
Thermo/humidity - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XY3X7P9/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?smid=APUR2MHW28P9F&psc=1
Mister - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012IAK4SC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=AJ3J2KO1TFDW&psc=1
Cage - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PHABI8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_9?smid=A3PNUN7H1KV96E&psc=1
Heat bulb - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075XJXPGC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A99V6HTDVZPFG&psc=1
Fixture - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DHOE0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
 
Last edited:
I really don't recommend fake stuff. For vines that is fine, but I really like to use live plants. Just make your own dripper and save some money on that.
 
Money isn't really an issue, though I'm trying to stay in the $750 range at the end of the purchase. Not sure which plants will have hiding place type of leaves that I can loop up into the vines for the chameleon , any recommendations?
 
RyanBRZ said:
Lol, I actually have this stuff on my desk at work. My buddy gave me a clipping and it is now close to 4 feet long. Awesome stuff.

But I don't want to wait a year for this to grow.. I kind of want my cham soon. Can I guy this stuff with long vines?
Click to expand...
Oh yeah! Pothos can grow like crazy, especially in tropical conditions. And saving that bit of money can be used for feeders! Why do you need to pay 10 bucks for a piece of plastic? You can just get a plastic deli cup, and poke a hole in the bottom.
 
I pulled the trigger! I will be building my enclosure this weekend. I now need to find a breeder to get my panther.
  • Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches
  • MistKing 22251 Starter Misting System V4.0
  • Zoo Med 26053 Reptisun T5-Ho Terrarium Hood, 24"
  • Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22"
  • Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp 8.5-Inch Ceramic with Dimmable Switch
  • Aiicioo Ceramic Heat Emitter - Reptile Heat Lamp 100 Watt Lizard Heat Lamp Bulb No Light Emitting Brooder Coop Heater 2 Pack,Black
  • Zoo Med Labs Digital Thermometer Humidity Gauge
  • Century 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer - Dual Outlet (Single Control)
  • 2 of Lee's Vine Herb Habitat Decor
  • Hydrofarm HGBB4 4' Natural Bamboo Stake, pack of 25
  • Repashy Bug Burger Insect Gel Food - All Sizes 12 Oz (3/4 lb) 340g JAR
  • Repashy Calcium Plus LoD - All Sizes - 3 Oz JAR
 
RyanBRZ said:
I pulled the trigger! I will be building my enclosure this weekend. I now need to find a breeder to get my panther.
  • Zoo Med ReptiBreeze Open Air Screen Cage, Extra Large, 24 x 24 x 48-Inches
  • MistKing 22251 Starter Misting System V4.0
  • Zoo Med 26053 Reptisun T5-Ho Terrarium Hood, 24"
  • Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22"
  • Fluker's Repta-Clamp Lamp 8.5-Inch Ceramic with Dimmable Switch
  • Aiicioo Ceramic Heat Emitter - Reptile Heat Lamp 100 Watt Lizard Heat Lamp Bulb No Light Emitting Brooder Coop Heater 2 Pack,Black
  • Zoo Med Labs Digital Thermometer Humidity Gauge
  • Century 7 Day Heavy Duty Digital Programmable Timer - Dual Outlet (Single Control)
  • 2 of Lee's Vine Herb Habitat Decor
  • Hydrofarm HGBB4 4' Natural Bamboo Stake, pack of 25
  • Repashy Bug Burger Insect Gel Food - All Sizes 12 Oz (3/4 lb) 340g JAR
  • Repashy Calcium Plus LoD - All Sizes - 3 Oz JAR
Click to expand...
You need a white light heat basking bulb
 
ERKleRose said:
They need uvb and a light/heat bulb
Click to expand...
But I don't understand why you are saying they need a light/heat bulb. They are getting sunlight from the florescent bulb which will be on at the same time as the ceramic heat emitting bulb. The animal will not know that their heat emitting bulb is not outputting light.
 
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